Paul Giordano, a lifelong advocate of people with developmental disabilities, is the newly elected board president of the disability services agency AHRC Nassau.
From the time Giordano was a child, he has been caring for people with developmental disabilities, he said. Giordano is a sibling advocate for his brother, Richard, who was born with down syndrome.
Now, as newly elected board president of AHRC Nassau, Giordano said he plans to continue to broaden the work he loves of helping people with disabilities, carrying on his family’s legacy of advocacy begun by his mother more than 60 years ago.
Founded 76 years ago, AHRC Nassau began as a small group of families seeking better opportunities for their children.
“They created opportunities at a time when people with developmental disabilities were often hidden away or sent to institutions,” Giordano said. “My mother made sure that we were immersed in my brother’s life. It was second nature to us. My brother was part of the family and treated no differently. He went wherever me and my sister went.”
Since its founding, the nonprofit’s mission has been to empower people to live fulfilling lives together with family, friends, and community.
Today, AHRC Nassau is one of the largest agencies supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in New York State. The organization supports about 2,200 people across Nassau County through the work of more than 1,800 dedicated staff members.
The agency offers residential and community habilitation services, employment programs, social enterprises, recreation programs, and family support, ranging from guardianship to sibling groups.
AHRC Nassau’s reputation for providing person-centered support has earned it recognition by the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities as one of the four Compass-designated agencies in New York State.
The agency has also received international Person-Centered Excellence Accreditation with Distinction from CQL, a prestigious honor for demonstrating measurable impact on people’s lives.
“What we’re most proud of is the way people are included,” Giordano said. “People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are part of the conversations and decisions on the issues impacting their lives.”
As one example, Giordano cited their Residential Council, where people who live in AHRC’s homes and apartments come together to share their thoughts about “what’s working, what could be better, and what they’d like to see in the future,” he said.
Giordano, who also serves as secretary of the board of governors for The Arc New York, a nonprofit supporting children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, discussed how advocacy and volunteerism have always been crucial to AHRC Nassau’s mission.
“This agency relies heavily on volunteers as a critical aspect to helping the people we work with,” Girodano said. “Without our volunteers, we’d struggle to operate. They’re at every one of our events, and it’s important to have that show of support.”
Giordano described how his mother, as an advocate, along with many other families, shared his brother’s story with neighbors and friends so people would understand why inclusion mattered and why these services were so important.
Continuing their tradition of advocacy, Giordano said, they’re asking more people in the community to get involved.
“Real change happens when people come together and say that things need to be better,” he said.
Giordano said he encourages residents across Long Island to join them in “calling out for increased funding so agencies like AHRC can keep up with the rising cost of providing services.”
“Without government funding, we won’t be able to do what we do,” Giordano said, adding that while over the last decade there was a dearth of investment in people with disabilities, Gov. Kathy Hochul provided a $25 million grant last fall for regional disability health clinics.
As a lifelong resident of Long Island, currently living in Westbury, Giordano said he values community and working with new people.
“We’re always glad to welcome new advocates,” he said. “And we’re always happy to hear from people who are part of the community today.”
AHRC can be reached by email at inspire@ahrc.org.
